I thought it might be interesting to start a topic where you can share hacking ideas, even if its a small improvement to the translation or with censorship on a certain game, or something more complex like the Dragoon X Omega games that completely change a game to a new one, or hacks that add to a game, like Chrono Trigger Coliseum. There are a lot of other types of hacks as well, but if you have an idea feel free to join in the discussion.

If I did a hack of an RPG game, either Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest - not sure which one - I would most likely do something akin to the Final Fantasy VII demake, but a demake of the Xenosaga games - I really enjoyed those. I'd also like to see a game like Blaster Master - having two separate gameplay perspectives - to create a Metroid game with both a side-scrolling and a top-down perspective. Not sure which game would be the best for that, though some of my favorite NES games that use the two perspectives are Blaster Master, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't Metal Gear have both as well?

Those are what I would enjoy the most and down the line, if I am capable, I would definitely attempt one of those hacks myself. What do you want to see or perhaps work on in the future?

I was always envious of my brother being able to beat those games and me sucking at them. I'm not someone who can usually speed through a level in games like that, and they have timed levels, from what I remember.

I've had an idea for a while now about film noir-esque Pokemon hack about a detective and his clue-finding cat solving murders and robberies and stuff. Partial similarity to the Raidou Kuzunoha games is purely coincidental.

I haven't worked that out yet, aside from the criminals having their own pokemon you'd have to fight before you could apprehend them. But unless there was a lot of petty crimes you'd pretty much never get stronger. I guess your "starter" could start at a fixed level (50 or so?) but who would want to be stuck with a level 50 Meowth.

I decided that if I did a Xenosaga demake, it would make more sense to use the Cyber Knight games for a foundation, since unlike FF and DQ, it has more of the sci-fi elements in it already.

Also, if I were to make a Metroid game, I wouldn't use any Metroid game as a foundation. Instead I would be interested in seeing what a Metroid game would be like if I used either Assaults Suits Valken or Front Mission: Gun Hazard as the base. It could open up the possibility for a much more story and narrative driven Metroid / Super Metroid game.

I decided that if I did a Xenosaga demake, it would make more sense to use the Cyber Knight games for a foundation, since unlike FF and DQ, it has more of the sci-fi elements in it already.

That only makes sense if you intend to use part of the original game's script, graphics, or sound. Which would get in the way of remaking Xenosaga.

Better to just consider what game has the technical capabilities and assume you're replacing everything related to the setting anyways.Granted, in the SNES' case, a case can be easily made for re-using audio samples, but...

Oooh, idea! An FF1 rawmhax that creates a prequel adventure set in the world of the ancient civilization that created the floating tower and the airship. I would call it Fantasy Star!

Wouldn't be difficult to demake Xenosaga 1 at least, given how it consists of little more than a few corridors, a few dungeons, and ambient noise. But then again, it's already been done on the DS along with the second game.

If anything I'd like to see somebody reverse hack The Seventh Saga to make it playable again. RPGs aren't exactly the type of genre that does challenge very well.

Wouldn't be difficult to demake Xenosaga 1 at least, given how it consists of little more than a few corridors, a few dungeons, and ambient noise. But then again, it's already been done on the DS along with the second game.

If anything I'd like to see somebody reverse hack The Seventh Saga to make it playable again. RPGs aren't exactly the type of genre that does challenge very well.

What do you think would be the best NES game to hack for a Xenosaga 1 remake where cinematics is concerned? I know the Ninja Gaiden games have great cinematics but am not sure how realistic it would be to hack that into an RPG like Xenosaga.

The short answer would be Phantasy Star IV since that game had great cutscenes in a rather unique style with RPG gameplay fully present and accounted for. But that's not a NES game and there really aren't any good NES era games that have a cutscene::gameplay ratio similar to that of Xenosaga Ep.I.

The long answer would be something like a visual novel such as JESUS: Kyoufu no Bio Monster since there really aren't any NES games that do complicated cutscenes and by hacking a preexisting game you're limiting yourself to only what that game could do. An NES style visual novel however just needs you to provide the spritework, the sound (or lack there of in XS1's case), and the appropriate text and flags. And don't forget that while the amount is quaint by today's standards, when XS1 was first released it had an unprecedented amount of content dedicated to cutscenes and that was fresh off the heels of the PSX generation.

And that's not even touching the gameplay aspects of XS1. The best substitutes, in my opinion, are either Final Fantasy III or Castlevania III.

The short answer would be Phantasy Star IV since that game had great cutscenes in a rather unique style with RPG gameplay fully present and accounted for. But that's not a NES game and there really aren't any good NES era games that have a cutscene::gameplay ratio similar to that of Xenosaga Ep.I.

The long answer would be something like a visual novel such as JESUS: Kyoufu no Bio Monster since there really aren't any NES games that do complicated cutscenes and by hacking a preexisting game you're limiting yourself to only what that game could do. An NES style visual novel however just needs you to provide the spritework, the sound (or lack there of in XS1's case), and the appropriate text and flags. And don't forget that while the amount is quaint by today's standards, when XS1 was first released it had an unprecedented amount of content dedicated to cutscenes and that was fresh off the heels of the PSX generation.

And that's not even touching the gameplay aspects of XS1. The best substitutes, in my opinion, are either Final Fantasy III or Castlevania III.

So I guess the best question would be what game - from the older generations - would work the best as a foundation or base if the hacker was talented enough to turn a game from a different genre into something entirely different?